Needle

ABSTRACT

A needle having an elongated body tapered to a point at one end thereof and having two spaced apart legs at the other end thereof, a thread holder pivotally mounted on the body between the spaced apart legs and having an elongated slot therein extending to one side thereof and ending at opposed grooves in the thread holder extending from the slot to the end of the thread holder away from the pivotal connection. The thread holder is movable between a thread receiving position wherein the slotted and grooved end of the thread holder is spaced from the spaced apart legs and is in position to receive thread in the slot and a thread locking position wherein the thread holder is between the spaced apart legs to lock the thread between the grooves in the thread holder and the spaced part legs, the thread being locked in the needle and extending therefrom away from the pointed end thereof when the thread holder is in the thread locking position thereof.

United States Patent Riley NEEDLE [72] Inventor: Howard B. Riley, 114 West Reynolds, Newton, 111. 62448 [22] Filed: Oct. 26, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 192,245

[52] US. Cl ..223/l02, 24/132 R, 112/223,

223/105, 224/7 D [51] Int. Cl. ..D05b 85/00, D05b 91/00 [58] Field of Search ..223/102104, 99,

223/105; 224/7 D, 7 E, 7.11; 66/116-120; 43/1, 4; 128/339-340; 1l2/222-223, 121.19, 173, 175, 198; 139/380; 29/241; 289/16 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,120,030 6/1938 Little ..223/102 1,610,675 12/1926 Hanson ..223/l03 2,706,071 4/1955 Garvie ..223/ 102 2,697,624 12/1954 Thomas et a1 ..43/1 UX 1 Oct. 31, 1972 Primary Examiner-Jordan Franklin Assistant Examiner-William L. Falk Attorney-David A. Vogel et a1.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A needle having an elongated body tapered to a point at one end thereof and having two spaced apart legs at the other end thereof, a thread holder pivotally mounted on the body between the spaced apart legs and having an elongated slot therein extending to one side thereof and ending at opposed grooves in the thread holder extending from the slot to the end of the thread holder away from the pivotal connection. The thread holder is movable between a thread receiving position wherein the slotted and grooved end of the thread holder is spaced from the spaced apart legs and is in position to receive thread in the slot and a thread locking position wherein the thread holder is between the spaced apart legs to lock the thread between the grooves in the thread holder and the spaced part legs, the thread being locked in the needle and extending therefrom away from the pointed end thereof when the thread holder is in the thread locking position thereof.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures V NEEDLE This invention relates to aneedle and more particularly to a needle which is provided with a thread holder movable between a thread receiving position and a thread locking position.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a needle comprising an elongated body tapered to a point at one end thereof and having two spaced apart generally parallel legs at the other end thereof, a thread holder pivotally mounted on the body between the spaced apart legs and having an elongated slot therein extending to one side thereof, the slot ending at opposed grooves in the thread holder extending from the slot to the end of the thread holder away from the pivotal connection, the thread holder being movable between a thread receiving position wherein the grooved end of the thread holder is spaced from the spaced apart legs and is in position to receive thread in the slot and a thread locking position wherein the thread holder is between the spaced apart legs, the thickness of the thread in the opposed grooves being sufficient to wedge the thread holder between the spaced apart legs and to maintain the thread holder in the thread locking position thereof, the thread being locked in the needle and extending therefrom away from the pointed end thereof when the thread holder is in the thread locking position thereof.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the needle of the present invention showing the thread in phantom and the thread holder in the thread locking position thereof;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the neei dle shown in FIG. lparticularly showing the thread holder in the thread locking position thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the needle shown in FIG. 1 showing the thread holder in the thread receiving position thereof;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the position of the needle shown in FIG. 2 showing the thread holder in the thread locking position thereof; 1

FIG. 5 is a top elevational view of the needle shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the present invention showing the thread holder in the thread receiving position thereof.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings, there is disclosed the needle 10 of the present invention, the needle 10 having a tapered shank 11 of generally circular transverse cross section, which tapered shank 11 is formed into a point 12 at one end thereof. The other end of the shank 11 of the needle 10 is formed into a blunt end 15 comprised of two spaced apart generally parallel legs 16 interconnected by a bight portion 17. Each of the legs 16 has a rounded top end 21 and a flat inner surface 22v The bight portion l7,is about fourfifths of the distance between the point 12 and the rounded top ends 21 of the legs 16.

The needle 10 of the present invention is provided with a thread holder 25 mounted on a pin 26 between the legs 16 for pivotal movement with respect to the legs. The thread holder 25 has two opposed and generally parallel side surfaces 27 interconnected by an edge surface 28 and an opposite edge surface 29. The edge surfaces 28 and 29 are connected by a curved top surface 30 and a bottom surface 31, which bottom surface 31 has a curved portion 32 and a sharp corner or stop 33. The thread holder 25 further includes an elongated slot 35, which slot 35 extends at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the thread holder 25. The slot 35 extends from the edge surface 28 inwardly to a point below the curved top surface 30. The end of the slot 35 is formed into a rounded surface 36, which rounded surface 36 is intersected by two opposed grooves in the side surfaces 27 of the thread holder 25. Each of the grooves 40 extends from the slot end 36 tothe curved top surface 30 of the thread holder 25.

The thread holder 25 is journalled on the pin 26 and is movable'between a thread receiving position, as shown in FIG. 3, and a thread locking position as shown in FIGS. 2 and4. In the thread receiving position, the

thread holder 25 is in a position such that the slot 35 is spaced from the legs 16 of the shank 11. Thread (as shown in phantom in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4) may be easily fitted into the slot 35and moved toward the slot end 36. When the thread 45, is positioned within the grooves 40, the thread holder 25 may be moved to the thread locking position thereof by exerting a force on the thread holder to position the thread holder 25 between the legs 16. The depth of the grooves 40 is such that the thread 45 when positioned in the grooves 40 may extend slightly beyond the side surfaces 27 of the thread holder 25 so as to wedge the thread holder 25 between the legs 16, thereby to maintain the thread holder 25 in the thread locking position thereof. The thread holder 25 is shaped to provide, in the threadlocking position thereof, with the legs 16 a smooth and continuous outer surface to the needle 10. The thread holder 25 is further provided with a sharp stop 33 so as to prevent the thread holder 25 from moving too far away from the legs 16 when the thread holder 25 is in the thread receiving position thereof. Once the thread holder 25 has been moved a predetermined distance from the legs 16, the stop 33 comes in contact with the bight portion 17 of the legs 16 thereby to prevent further angular movement of the thread holder 25 awa from the legs 16. n

As may be seen from FIG. 1, when the thread holder 25 is in the thread locking position thereof, the thread 45 extends outwardly from the grooves 40 and away from the needle 10 and particularly in a direction opposite to the point 12. The thread 45 does not extend beyond the peripherial surface of the needle 10 and particularly the shank portion 11, whereby the thread 45 will not catch on the work piece or fabric when the needle 10 is used for sewing the same. Because of the smooth peripherial surface of the needle, when the thread holder 25 is in the thread locking position thereof, the needle 10 will not catch or snag on material with which it is used to sew and the holes made by the needle 10 in sewing will be more easily smoothed over. During sewing, tension applied to the thread 45 tends to maintain the thread holder 25 in the thread locking position thereof, thereby maintaining the sufficient friction between the side surfaces 27 and the inside surfaces 22 of the legs 16 so that the thread holder 25 will be firmly held in the thread locking position withoutthe necessity for the thread 45 extending beyond the depth of the grooves 40 in the thread holder 25. If the thread 45 does extend beyond the side surfaces 27, additional gripping or frictional forces are provided thereby for the thread holder 25 in the thread locking position thereof.

An alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 6 where like numerals have been applied to like parts with the addition of the letter A. The principal difference between the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 and that disclosed in FIGS. 1-5 is the slot 35A in the thread holder 25A extends to the edge surface 29A rather than the edge surface 28A.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the largest transverse cross sectional area of the needle 10 occurs approximately at the bight 17 so that when sewing there will be little likelihood of the thread 45 catching on the fabric, it being noted that the cross sectional area of the blunt end is less than the cross sectional area of the needle adjacent to the bight 17. With the needle 10 of the present invention, there is no need for placing a thread end through a small needle eye as in previously available needles, the construction of the present invention being particularly useful to those people having relatively poor eyesight or being unsteady of hand. It is readily understood that the needle 10 of the present invention may be made of various sizes and cross sectional areas and the grooves 40 in the thread holder 25 may be made of various depths to accommodate threads 45 of different thicknesses and strength.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A needle comprising an elongated body tapered to a point at one end thereof and having two spaced apart generally parallel legs at the other end thereof, a thread holder pivotally mounted on said body between said thickness of the thread in said opposedgrooves being sufiicient to wedge said thread holder between said spaced apart legs and to maintain said thread holder in the thread locking position thereof, the thread being locked in said needle and extending therefrom away from the pointed end thereof when said thread holder is in the thread locking position thereof.

2. The needle set forth in claim 1, wherein the area of maximum transverse cross section is about four-fifths of the length of said needle from the pointed end thereof.

3. The needle set forth in claim 1, wherein said thread holder in the thread locking position thereof forms a smooth peripherial surface with said body.

4. The needle set forth in claim 1, wherein said thread holder has a stop thereon for limiting pivotal movement of said thread holder with respect to said bod 5. The needle set forth in claim 1, wherein said slot terminates in the side of said thread holder facing away from said legs when said thread holder is in the thread receiving position thereof.

6. The needle set forth in claim 1, wherein said slot terminates in the side of said thread holder facing toward said legs when said thread holder is in the thread receiving position thereof. 

1. A needle comprising an elongated body tapered to a point at one end thereof and having two spaced apart generally parallel legs at the other end thereof, a thread holder pivotally mounted on said body between said spaced apart legs and having an elongated slot therein extending to one side thereof, said slot ending at opposed grooves in said thread holder extending from said slot to the end of said thread holder away from the pivotal connection, said thread holder being movable between a thread receiving position wherein said grooved end of said thread holder is spaced from said spaced apart legs and is in position to receive thread in said slot and a thread locking position wherein said thread holder is between said spaced apart legs, the thickness of the thread in said opposed grooves being sufficient to wedge said thread holder between said spaced apart legs and to maintain said thread holder in the thread locking position thereof, the thread being locked in said needle and extending therefrom away from the pointed end thereof when said thread holder is in the thread locking position thereof.
 2. The needle set forth in claim 1, wherein the area of maximum transverse cross section is about four-fifths of the length of said needle from the pointed end thereof.
 3. The needle set forth in claim 1, wherein said thread holder in the thread locking position thereof forms a smooth peripherial surface with said body.
 4. The needle set forth in claim 1, wherein said thread holder has a stop thereon for limiting pivotal movement of said threaD holder with respect to said body.
 5. The needle set forth in claim 1, wherein said slot terminates in the side of said thread holder facing away from said legs when said thread holder is in the thread receiving position thereof.
 6. The needle set forth in claim 1, wherein said slot terminates in the side of said thread holder facing toward said legs when said thread holder is in the thread receiving position thereof. 